Principals – Get Out of Your Office!

I don’t know about you, but my office is small, crowded with papers and boxes, runs either too hot or too cold, and is away from all the action. Yes, I could close my door, work on whatever report is due in the next few weeks or write my next parent newsletter. But, that would be missing the entire purpose of my role as a principal.

I joke with everyone that I want to get rid of my office. My dream is to have a golf cart, rigged with Wi-Fi that I can drive all over campus, visiting classrooms and talking with students, teachers, and parents. My job is to be in the middle of it, not tucked away in an office.

When I hire new teachers, I tell them that I like make a lot of classroom visits. These visits are not evaluative in nature, but give me the opportunity to see all the great things happening in their room. I like to understand first-hand their challenges, successes, and ideas for improvement. They are shocked when I make it in to their classrooms on a daily basis.

Being inside classrooms is my job.

Recently, we rolled out the use of Google Classroom to our students. I needed to see first-hand how teachers and students were using this new ground-breaking tool. So, I spent a lot of time in the computer lab, with different classes, logging into different classroom websites and participating in lessons right next to students. Yes, eight-year-olds think it’s funny when you are sitting next to them in class. I could have completed the same task from my office, but it is important to be with my students and teachers. It was also a lot more fun!

Now, my teachers expect my daily visit. They are comfortable with me coming in, asking questions with the students, participating in collaborative sessions and so on. It also gives me the chance to check in with them to see how I can support their needs. If I can help them out by making a few copies, then that’s what I do. If they have a computer issue, I can fix it. Sometimes, all they need is a fresh cup of coffee. I’m no Starbucks, but it only takes a few minutes for me to grab them a cup of Joe from the office.

These interactions have helped built a strong, positive school culture centered on teamwork and trust. We are all in this together. Creating this type of school culture is not possible when you are tucked away in an office. You must be visible. I don’t have it yet, but I am still working on that golf cart! If you have any ideas on how to make that happen, let me know …